100 evicted families get free legal assistance
Arua Chief Magistrate Moses Angualia (with a pen), inspects a disputed piece of land in Nebbi District recently. PHOTO BY FELIX WAROM OKELLO
What you need to know:
Many families claim they have spent a lot of money in settling court cases.
Nebbi- A civil society organisation has offered free legal assistance to more than 100 people who were evicted in Pakwach and Panyimur sub-counties, Nebbi District in order to peacefully settle land conflicts.
The communities applied for free legal assistance from Civic Responses on Environment and Development (CRED) currently working in the Albertine region.
Most of the people evicted are widows, orphans and the vulnerable.
One of the victims, Ms Justina Ngombu, 67, of Dei A village in Panyimur Sub-county, said she spent a lot of money in a nine-year land case with one of her neighbours.
“I need legal assistance since my life is in danger over threats because of land disputes. I have already used a lot of money and sold some animals to meet demands of court but to no avail,” Ms Ngombu said this week.
Residents expected compensation but, according to some of them, what they received was peanuts.
The executive director of CRED, Mr Bashir Twesigye, said most of the members who own land are poor and cannot afford to defend their land in court.
“Some conflicts have historical background of land donation which calls for transparency of traditional leaders in the areas to assist the communities,” Mr Twesigye said.
The traditional chief of Panyigoro, Mr Henley Wakonga, said local courts had lost meaning due to bribery among clan leaders “who value the wealthy people more than the poor in the communities”.
Mr Wakonga called for transparency in settling land cases.
